George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 21 April 1781
To Samuel Huntington
Head Quarters New Windsor 21st April 1781
Sir
His Excellency the Count De Rochambeau, when I was at Rhode Island, made an application to me to have Colonel Champlin of Newport appointed a Barrack Master under Authority of Congress, to be attached to the French Army1—His reason was—that a native vested with the authority of our own government might act with more propriety and efficacy than a foreigner, or even a native merely employed by themselves—My answer was, that such an office appeared to me to be an usefull one, and that I would take the necessary steps for procuring the appointment. The Quarter Master General does not think himself authorized to make it, at least to annex any pay—and as the Confederation does not permit an officer of the United states to receive any office or reward from a foriegn power, the appointment, without a salary annexed, would be improper—’Tis on this account I am obliged to communicate the request to Congress.2 It appears to me (as my answer to the Count expressed) that the appointment would be attended with advantages; and I promised to support his desire with the less hesitation, as he seemed to have the matter at heart, and I thought it too inconsiderable a thing to make any difficulty about it. If Congress are of the same opinion, I shall be happy they will be pleased, without delay, to authorise the Quarter Master General to make the appointment and annex a salary. Colonel Champlin has already officiated in this capacity with great satisfaction to the French Army and to the Inhabitants of New Port—He is besides a person whom I am informed has suffered in the cause and deserves encouragement.3 I have the honor to be With perfect respect and esteem Sir Your Most Obedt & servant
Go: Washington
P.S. I have received Your Excellency’s favor of the 14th the several Resolves enclosed in it shall be duly attended to.4
LS, in William Colfax’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152; Df, DLC:GW; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW signed the cover of the LS. Congress read this letter on 26 April and authorized Jabez Champlin’s appointment as “barrack-master to the French army” (, 20:446; see also n.3 below). For Huntington’s acknowledgement, see his letter to GW, 1 May, postscript.
1. For GW’s visit to the French forces at Rhode Island, see GW to Alexander Hamilton, 7 March, source note.
2. GW’s aide-de-camp Alexander Hamilton had written Q.M. Gen. Timothy Pickering on 20 April to know whether he could “appoint a barrak Master to the French army; if you can, the General wishes you to appoint Col Champlin without delay” (, 2:595–96). Pickering replied to Hamilton from Newburgh, N.Y., on the same date that “after the total abolition of the barrack department, I ever conceived that its powers and duties devolved on the quarter master general. And were such an officer as a barrack-master necessary with the army of the United States, I should not hesitate a moment to appoint him. But whether it be proper for me to meddle with any arrangements for the French army I am in doubt. Were the appointment in question to be made by me, I should nevertheless imagine that the commander of the French army would make Colo. Champlin the necessary compensation for his services. Indeed I should not think myself authorized, by any powers I now possess, to charge the United States with any expences for such a permanent establishment.
“But perhaps I have mistaken the matter altogether; and that the count de Rochambeau desires this appointment for Colo. Champlin, because he does not judge it proper for him to attach to the army of France a subject of the United States. If his application is on this ground, the intervention of Congress in the case may be necessary. And it this moment occurs to me, that by the Confederation it is declared ‘That no person holding any office of profit or trust under the United States, or any of them, shall accept of any present, emolument, office or title of any kind whatever from any king, prince or foreign state.’ Of consequence it would be improper for me to make the proposed appointment, unless I were also to pay the salary of the officer, which (as I said above) I should not think myself warranted in doing without a special authority from Congress for the purpose. The above cited paragraph however seems to imply, that there would be no objection to Count Rochambeau making the appointment himself, if Colonel Champlin holds no office under the United States or any of them.
“Viewing the matter at first in a different light I had prepared a warrant for Colonel Champlin, which I now inclose. For if the General, on considering the facts I have stated, & the nature of the case, is of opinion that such a warrant would be proper, it may be transmitted: otherwise you will be pleased to burn it” (DLC:GW). Pickering quotes from Article 6, section 1, of the Articles of Confederation (see 5). He signed the enclosed warrant dated 20 April (see DLC:GW; see also Pickering to GW, 4 May, and n.2).
3. Congress responded favorably to GW’s appeal (see Huntington to GW, 29 April, and n.1 to that document).
Jabez Champlin (1728–1805) served as a Rhode Island militia officer and sheriff of Newport County before losing his home to the British during their occupation of Aquidneck Island from December 1776 to October 1779. The Rhode Island legislature paid him in September 1780 “for services as barrack-master” (, 9:243; see also , 9:221–22, and ). Champlin performed the same duty with congressional support beginning spring 1781. Champlin served as deputy federal marshal for Rhode Island during GW’s presidency.
4. See Huntington’s second letter to GW dated 14 April. For GW’s acknowledgement of Huntington’s first letter on the same date, see GW to Huntington, 16–19 April, postscript.